News: The UEFA president Lennart Johansson declared open war on Sepp Blatter yesterday in a personal attack on his integrity and credibility to continue as the president of FIFA, just five weeks before Blatter faces re-election.
The letter, sent to all 51 presidents of Europe's member associations, accompanies a five-page report which accuses Blatter of running FIFA as a "one-man show", provoking conflicts, protecting allies under investigation, ignoring the interests of world football, damaging FIFA's reputation and exposing world football's governing body "to commercial and financial uncertainty".
Johansson's attack comes five weeks before Blatter is due to stand for re-election as FIFA president against Issa Hayatou, the president the African Confederation, and four days before the UEFA congress in Stockholm.
Johansson is backing Hayatou's campaign and is urging all the European delegates to vote against Blatter in Seoul on May 29th to "help end the present crisis within FIFA".
Blatter beat Johansson in the 1998 FIFA presidential election in Paris.
In a scathing point-by-point demolition of Blatter's presidency, Johansson accuses Blatter of splitting FIFA in two, acting as an "executive" president with "personal advisers" interfering in the running of the organisation.
ISRAEL: A request by the Arab Football Federation (FAF) for FIFA to suspend Israel for "its actions against the Palestinian people" will be studied by world football's governing body, according to reports.
According to the Saudi press agency (SPA), FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has promised, in a letter sent to FAF president Prince Sultan ben Fahd ben Abdel Aziz, that FIFA will study the proposal in two weeks time.
GERMANY: Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Mehmet Scholl has strongly hinted he may not go to this year's World Cup because he is not fully fit. "I will talk to (Germany coach) Rudi Voeller next week and will then announce my decision," he said.
FRANCE: Juventus striker David Trezeguet, an undisputed first choice to play for his country in the World Cup, said he would rather be paired with Liverpool's Nicolas Anelka than Djibril Cisse.
"For reasons of friendship and affinity, I'd chose Nico. I've known him since the age of 17 and even though he's struggling this year everybody knows his qualities." Trezeguet told the French sports daily l'Equipe.
JAPAN: The Japanese prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, risked a confrontation with its football World Cup co-host, South Korea, yesterday by paying his respects at the Yasukuni shrine, which deifies Japan's fallen soldiers including convicted war criminals.
The surprise visit to the shrine, 40 days before the tournament, prompted a backlash from Seoul, where memories of Japan's wartime aggression are strong.
LIVERPOOL: Marcus Babbel has set himself a target of getting back into the plans of manager Gerard Houllier next season following his illness-plagued year.
Babbel was diagnosed as suffering from Guillan-Barre syndrome, a life-threatening condition meaning the German has spent many months in hospital.
ASTON VILLA: Swedish international striker Marcus Allback has indicated he is likely to join Aston Villa next month from Heerenveen in a £2 million switch.
